The Wrighton laboratory is a microbiome research group interested in the study of microorganisms, their genomes, and the surrounding environment. We investigate how microorganisms contribute to ecosystem processes, with a particular interest in carbon and nitrogen cycling. Our microbial research has many applications, including improving predictions of greenhouse gas emission from soils, stabilizing gastrointestinal and heart health, and enhancing energy yield and longevity from hydrocarbon systems. We integrate data from different scales, from the metabolite through genes/enzymes, to organisms, and ultimately microbial communities, to better understand microbial interactions with the biotic and abiotic environment.